80 pound weight loss - Crescent thigh lift, medial thigh lift, “butt tuck”, Radiesse, or Renuvion? (Photos)

Question

Not too sure how to address or where to even start on my problem area in my lower butt/posterior thigh area. I am 36 years old 5’3” 125lbs 22.1 BMI, lost 80 lbs, had a tummy tuck and breast augmentation 10/2024. Looking for recommendations on what the best route to plan for this area. Standing up doesn’t look as bad but when bent over even slightly you can see a major difference. I don’t think I have enough fat to transfer in that area, didn’t have lipo with my tummy tuck either. Would Renuvion or Radiesse help? Or would I need to approach it as a thigh lift and if so which kind? Or even a lower butt lift/tuck at the gluteal fold? Please advise.

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question regarding an 80-pound weight loss and whether you need a crescent thigh lift, medial thigh lift, buttock lift, Radiesse, or Renuvion.  Thank you for your history and your pictures.  Upon analyzing your pictures, you appear to have excess skin and fat on the upper medial or inner third of your thigh.  After carefully examining your pictures, you do not have much excess skin and fat on your buttocks.  Additionally, you do not have much cellulite on either of the buttocks.  Therefore, your buttock skin was not that affected by your massive weight loss, except for loss of buttock volume.  Therefore, most of your skin or tissue issues are not related to your buttock skin, but rather your thigh skin and fat.  Most plastic surgeons would agree that Radiesse or Renuvion will not address excess skin and fat in the upper inner thigh.  You need a crescent thigh lift.  During a crescent thigh lift, an incision is made in the infra-gluteal fold.  That means an incision is made in the "banana roll" between your buttocks and your upper posterior thigh.  The incision is carefully placed underneath the buttock, and tissue dissection is carried down the back of your thigh, most extensively in the inner thigh and part of the front of the thigh.  Then, the undermined inner thigh flap is advanced to the groin.  It is called a crescent thigh lift because the upper inner thigh skin in the shape of a crescent is removed.  The procedure begins with you in a face-down position, allowing the posterior aspect of the crescent surgery to be completed first.  You are then flipped onto the operating room table, and the front portion of the crescent thigh lift is completed.  The crescent thigh lift takes approximately three hours to complete and is performed under general anesthesia with the assistance of an anesthesiologist.  The procedure is an outpatient surgery; however, most plastic surgeons recommend staying at a Recovery Center for about two nights.  The overnight stay helps with pain control, and the nurses will teach you how to ambulate.  However, be warned that the crescent thigh lift is a very technically challenging procedure to perform.  Common complications of a crescent thigh lift include the scar drifting down the inner thigh.  That means that when you wear certain bathing suits or panties, the crescent-shaped thigh lift scar can be visible outside the panty line on the inner thigh.  Other common complications of the crescent thigh lift include labial spread.  Labial spread is due to the lateral tension of the incision, which can pull and separate the labia majora and sometimes, even the labia minora.  Labial spread can also lead to the opening or gaping of the introitus or entrance to the vagina.  The way to minimize these crescent thigh lift complications is to anchor the crescent thigh flap to the pelvic periosteum.  The pelvic periosteum is the thick layer on top of the pelvic bone.  The crescent thigh lift flap should be anchored to the pelvic periosteum with permanent sutures.  I recommend consulting a plastic surgeon who specializes in crescent thigh surgery.  Do not be a "guinea pig" for a plastic surgeon who does not perform the crescent thigh lift frequently.  Revisions of complications arising from the crescent thigh lift are extremely difficult to correct.  I hope that I have answered your questions regarding the thigh reduction.  If you have any further questions regarding the thigh lift, thigh reduction, thighplasty, vertical thigh lift, medial thigh lift, spiral thigh lift, crescent thigh lift, or thigh liposuction, please consult a thigh lift expert.  Please consult an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon with a proven track record of performing thigh lifts.  Do your research.  Make sure your chosen plastic surgeon has performed at least 150 thigh lifts.  Make sure they have the before-and-after pictures to prove it.  Carefully examine their before-and-after pictures and check their reviews on RealSelf.   Consider traveling if you cannot find a thigh lift or reduction specialist in your area.  Sincerely, Dr.  Katzen, MD, MBA (Aesthetic, Cosmetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon),  President of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, Fellow of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, International College of Surgery, and American Board of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and RealSelf Hall of Fame.)

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your weight loss and thank you for your photos. I believe the best way to address your medial thigh skin looseness and laxity is to have a medial thigh lift. This will remove the loose skin, tighten and smooth the posterior aspect of your thigh and give you the most predictable best option for a well concealed incision line, and an excellent result. The crescent shaped thigh lift is not as good an option because the scar tends to migrate downward over time. If you are concerned about the laxity of the skin at the bottom of your buttocks, a completion of a lower body lift could be done across your upper buttocks and with upward traction on your buttock skin will help to smooth that area. Surgeons try to avoid Incisions in the gluteal crease as they are problematic and uncomfortable for the patient. I do not believe that Renuvion or Radiesse would be of help in this area.  Have a detailed discussion with your plastic surgeon about how to maximize your thigh contour and inferior buttock contour..

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your impressive weight loss!  From the photos you are not a good candidate for Radiesse or Renuvion due to the degree of skin laxity.  You can consider a lower body lift and/or a thigh lift to help with the loose skin.  I encourage you to visit with a board certified plastic surgeon near you to learn more.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear gogil11,

I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what is wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.

Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS · Answer

Injectables and energy based devices cannot help you. Care must be taken with a crescent medial thigh lift due to unstoppable forces that will pull the scar, and labia majora, downward if too much vertical skin is removed. The safest and most effective was to treat you inner thigh is with spiral thigh lift, the length of which does not need to descend beyond roughly the mid thigh. The ptotic buttock tissue is best treated with a posterior body lift.

80 pound weight loss - Crescent thigh lift, medial thigh lift, “butt tuck”, Radiesse, or Renuvion? (Photos)

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Answer: This is only a surgical issue

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80 pound weight loss - Crescent thigh lift, medial thigh lift, “butt tuck”, Radiesse, or Renuvion? (Photos)

Answers (6)

Answer: Surgery results

Answer: Surgery results

Answer: This is only a surgical issue

Answer: This is only a surgical issue

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Thigh Lift

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.